Stacking rack



May 6, 1958 L. F. SKUBIC 2,833,421

smcxmc RACK Filed April 25, 1954 ml mlsh 4 STACKIYG RACK Leroy F. Skubic, Beverly Shores, Ind., assignor to The Paltier Corporation, Michigan City,-Ind., a corporation of Illinois a The present invention relates to a stacking rack assembly which can be built horizontally and vertically through the assembly of two structural building blocks, an I and an L frame. By utilizing these components, racks can be rapidly built vertically and horizontally by a fork lift truck. The invention finds utility in supply depots, warehouses and similar storage facilities.

One object of this invention is to provide stacking frame building blocks which can be rapidly assembled and disassembled without'the use of bolts, pins, or any other non-integral fasteners, and yet afford an interlocking, rigid, load carrying construction.

Another object of the invention is to utilize the unit connections to rigidly fix the, interlocking frame members against sway and instability. 1

Still another object of the invention is toprovide a stacking framework of two principal components which readily adapts itself for assembly with a fork lift truck.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1.is a perspective partially exploded assembly drawing of a stacking rack illustrative of the invention.

Fig. 2 is exploded view'of a typical joint assembly.

.Fig. 3'is 'a transverse section througha typical'joint.

Fig. 4 is a top view'of a typical joint.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a typical joint.

Fig. dis a perspective view of a post cap in assembled relation with a vertical-post of one of the building members of the stacking assembly. p r j While the invention is susceptible of various modifications, equivalents, and alternative constructions, a preferred embodiment has been shown in the drawings and,

will be described in considerable detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed and defined in the claims.

Referring now to Figure 1, the illustration shows an embodiment of the invention assembled as a stacking rack for use in a typical warehouse or similar storage facility. The construction contemplates the use of two principal building blocks: the I frame and the L frame 20. These two elements can be employed to build a rack several tiers high and of an infinite lateral length. The frames can be made in a wide variety of sizes and proportions, and may subsequently be employed with conventional pallets or floating members on the horizontal storage surfaces.

More specifically, it will be seen that the I frame 10 is the backbone of the stacking assembly. It comprises two vertical support posts 11, which may be made of rectangular metal construction, or of any other suitable load bearing building material. At convenient locations, preferably adjacent the ends of the vertical posts 11, a pair Ue te i 5W Patent of cross arms 12 are welded or otherwise aflixed to the I vertical posts 11 so that the latter are in rigid parallel spaced relation. A small foot 14 isaflixed to the lower portion of the vertical posts 11 of the I frame 10 to provide a means for fixing the stacking assembly to the floor or some other appropriate underlying support.

The lateral building block of the stacking assembly, as shown in Fig. l, is the L frame 20. It comprises a pair of horizontal load bearing members or bars 21 and a pair of vertical load bearing members or legs 22. The horizontal and vertical members of the L frame need not necessarily be of the same materials or configuration. They must, however, be secured to each other in a rigidly fixed normal relationship, L frame cross arms 24 secure the vertical members 22 in parallel relation and the horizontal members 21 in parallel relation. It will be appreciated that the length of the cross arms 24 of the L frame and the cross arms 12 of the I frame should be of the same length if a uniform building material is employed in the fabrication of the I frames and L frames.

The details of the construction of the I frame and L frame will be more readily appreciated when the assembled stacking frame is considered as a whole. In assembling the stacking frame, the I frame 10 is first located and set vertically as illustrated in Fig. 1. An L frame is then dropped down or hooked to the I frame at the removable joint on theend of the L frame 20, thereby buttressing the 1 frame and defining therewith a composite structural assembly of great rigidity. It will be seen that two L frames can be set up symmetrically flanking the central 1 frame. It is not essential, however, to employ an L frame to flank flre 1 frame since the I frame can'be' used as the end or terminating member of the assembly.

A second L frame 20 is placed atop the first L frameby first capping the top of the vertical posts 22 of the L frame with the post top cap 40.which fits over the first vby following this procedure. If it is desired to extend the height of the stacking frame, an additional I frame may be placed above the original I frame over a pair of the post top caps 40 in a manner like that employed with the L frames.

The construction operation, and advantages of the corner joints which facilitate the ready assembly and disassembly of the stacking units is illlustrated in detail in Figs. 2-5. Referring now to Fig. 2 it will be seen that each corner joint 30 comprises two principal elements: an ear or tang 31 and a strap 32 defining a pocket. The ear may be constructed of structural angle stock having a vertical flange 34 and a horizontal flange 35. The horizontal flange of the ear is fixed to the lower portion of its associated horizontal frame member or bar 21 with the outer face of the vertical flange 34 coplanar with the outer end face of the bar 21. The strap 32, on the other hand, is a C-shaped member which may conveniently be fabricated as a short section of structural channel of appropriate size for its flanges to closely straddle the lateral dimension of its associated vertical post or leg. The strap 32 is rigidly fixed to the vertical post or leg so as to define an open ended pocket between itself and the post or leg. Such pocket is adapted to receive the vertical flange 34 of the tang 31 with a fairly snug fit with the bottom face of the flange 35 bearing against the top edge of the strap. It will be seen, however, that when the ear 31 is inserted into the pocket of strap 32 sufiicient clean 3 ance must be allowed so that the vertical flange 34 of the ear can be readily inserted. Slightly tapering the vertical flange 34 of the ear 31 will facilitate such action.

Referring now to the transverse sectional view in Fig. 3, itwill be seen that when the corner joint 30 is assembled there is a relatively lengthy vertical load bearing positions of these pockets and the cars 31 of the corner joint 30,.the L and I frames may be used interchangeably.

The post top cap 40, illu'strated in Fig. 4 comprises a lower cup-shaped portion 41 shaped internally to receive the upper end of the vertical posts 11, 22 of the I frameor L frames, anda truncated pyramid 42 which has'tapered faces-44. A shoulder 43 is provided at the baseof the pyramid tofit within the lower end of the vertical posts 11, 22 of the I frame or L frames.

In assembling or disassembling the stacking rack illustrated, the prongsof a forked lift truck are inserted beneath thehorizontal legs 21 of the L frame and they are then moved into the assembled position. The post top caps, 40 may be placed in position by hand whenever a frame member is moved into position. If a multiple tier rack is to be built, post top caps 40 are placed on top of the first I frame in order that a second I frame may beerectedabove it. Although the use of but a single I frame has been described herein, additional I frames can be employed in the construction if desired. After the, stacking frame is assembled planks can be laid across the horizontal members 21 of the L frames and the cross arms 12, 24 of the L and I frames to complete the, shelves of the stacking assembly. Or if the proportions are properly predetermined, conventional pallets may be stacked in the rack with a forked lift truck.

I claim as my invention:

1. Aload supporting platform structure comprising, in combination, a central I frame having a pair of vertically disposed posts and rigid strut means securing the posts in parallel spaced relation, 21 flanking L frame defined by a pair of vertical legs substantially shorter than said I having one endrigidly fixed to a respective one of said vertical legs adjacent the upper end thereof, rigid strut means securing said vertical legs and horizontal bars in parallel spaced relation, a pair of tangs rigidly fixed to the opposite ends of said horizontal bars in depending relation therewith, each said tang having an outer face coplanar with the end face of its associated horizontal bar, and straps situated on the vertical posts of said I frame defining open ended pockets for receiving said tangs when dropped down from the top, each said strap having an upper edge which a portion of said tang bears against, said L frame thereby buttressing said central I frame and defining therewith a composite structural assembly of great rigidity.

2. A load supporting platform structure comprising, in combination, a central I frame having a pair of vertically disposed posts and rigid strut means securing the posts in parallel spaced relation, a flan-king L frame defined by a pair of vertical legs substantially shorter than said I-frame posts and a pair of horizontal bars, each said bar having oneend rigidlyfixed to a respective one of said vertical legs adjacent the upper end thereof, rigid strut. means securing said vertical legs and horizontal bars. in parallel spaced ,relation, a pair of tanks rigidly fixed to the opposite endsiof said horizontal bars in depending relation therewith .each said tang having an outer facecoplanar with the end face of its associate-d horizontal bar, straps situated on the vertical posts of said I framedefining open ended pockets for receiving said tangs when dropped down from the top, each said strap having an upper edge which a portionof said tang bears against, and a :pluralityyof caps each adapted to rest on top of a corresponding post'andvertical leg of each I and L frame to receive a similar frame member above it, permitting arigid composite structural assembly to be built vertically.

3 References Cited inthe fileioflthispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS France May 14, 1952 

